June 29, 2006

 Sunniya Husain, a Pakistani, is the President of Saarc Women's Association of Bangladesh, and totally caught up in Dhaka’s social and cultural life

Once in a while, one comes across a person who has taken up several diverse causes and interests on a full-time basis and has been able to do justice to all of them. Sunniya Husain is one such person.

She arrived in Dhaka 12 years ago when her husband moved there to set up and manage a large composite textile unit with a Bangladeshi business group. She was soon at home in that warm and friendly city. Now, she is so caught up in Dhaka’s cultural and social life that she scarcely has time for anything else.

Husain is the President of Saarc Women’s Association of Bangladesh, member and office-bearer of Women’s Entrepreneurs Association of Bangladesh (WEAB), Member and Fund-raiser for Society for the Aid of Underprivileged Children (SAUC), Chief Executive of Leo Books; she also works as an educational consultant.

She also has to look after visiting VIPs from other countries including Pakistan, and attend meetings in faraway lands. Asked how she does it, she replies, “In my view, time is the most valuable asset for a person. And therefore it should be managed and utilised to get the maximum benefit out of it.”

Husain further elaborates, “Aside from the respect for time management I have always been interested in creative subjects, pursuing several at any given time since my childhood. I’ve been involved in art, music, drama, debating and fashion designing, devoting all my spare time to these activities.”

Sunniya Husain was in Karachi recently to participate in a fund-raising event for earthquake victims of Pakistan. This event featured the art and culture of Bangladesh and was organised by the Saarc Women’s Association of Pakistan. Husain brought with her a troupe of singers, musicians, and artists along with ethnic Bengali saris and fabrics.

When someone commended her for introducing the Pakistani audience to Bangladeshi culture, Husain told the audience that last year she had organised a similar fund-raiser in Bangladesh featuring Pakistani artists. “The event provided an important platform for displaying Pakistani culture to a wide segment of Bangladeshi citizens,” she said.

When asked how she found time for home and family responsibilities as she is so immersed in social welfare and other activities, her answer is to the point: “My children are all grown up.” When her children were young, Husain stayed home as a full-time housewife, dabbling in art and designing at home only. Speaking on her interests in arts and crafts she says, “I had some formal training in painting and music prior to my marriage and still retain an interest in these subjects. For me time is valuable, and I want to make the most of it.”

When Husain undertakes an assignment she will go to great lengths to accomplish it. It’s not easy to raise funds and get favours from people, even for a good cause, but Sunniya Husain’s persistence and her persuasive nature always manage to win a ‘yes’ from the most difficult government or corporate heads.

She always delivers, and gets upset if her co-workers do not exude the same energy. She mildly complains that sometimes a less focused colleague can let her down. “Then I have to work twice as hard,” she says with a laugh.

So have her creative interests now been pushed into the background? This question seems to touch a raw nerve because she answers in great detail. “Well, I still do riaz and work hard with my music ustad whenever I can. I concentrate on light classical vocals, especially ghazals, and play the harmonium. Occasionally I am invited to perform at private gatherings and functions.

“I also had a tutor who helped me brush up my art work. I mainly focus on charcoal, water colour and oil, but work occasionally with mixed media. I have had several private shows and exhibited at group shows as well, and quite a few of my works have been sold at these events. As for designing, I haven’t done much of that,” she hurriedly concludes as she is ready to be off to London to spend time with her children studying there.

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